Nancy Drew - Fancy French Formats

FANCY FRENCH FORMATS

On this page four French formats are described: Hachette with DJ, La Galaxie PC, Idéal with DJ and Idéal PC. I consider these formats to be either special editions or relatively rare versions of the popular Alice Roy books.

FORMAT A - Hachette with Dust Jacket (1955 - 1958)

Equivalent to Bourke Type 1

The earliest known French editions are these lovely little green and gold linen-textured books with a simple white-spined dust jacket. For this introduction of Alice Roy into the French marketplace, Hachette elected to produce the first book of the Nancy Drew series (Old Clock) and the title most recently released in the States (Velvet Mask). Also available is Twisted Candles. Artwork is by Albert Chazelle. Black and white line drawings are featured throughout the text.

Titles available: Clock, Candles, Mask

Alice au bal masqué (The Clue of the Velvet Mask). Artwork by Albert Chazelle, copyright © 1955 by Hachette, Paris.
Hardback book - 6 3/4" H x 5" W: Green cloth book with gold lettering and horizontal designs

FORMAT G - La Galaxie Picture Cover (mid 1970s)

Equivalent to Bourke Type 21

This "Super-Deluxe" format seems to have been Hachette's alternative for Alice readers with more discriminating tastes. To those who felt too chintzy giving their little "amie" a piddly Alice picture cover, this souped-up version might make a fancier gift.

The book features eight full-page color internals and is oversized - almost as big as a child's picture book.

Titles available: Red Gate Farm, Larkspur, Mask, Dragon also a 3-in-1: Détective, chandelier, bal masqué

Oversize hardback PC - 10 1/8" H x 7 1/4" W; royal blue spine: La Galaxie in white, title in black capitals, Caroline Quine in black, La Galaxie logo in white.

FORMAT D - Idéal Bibliothèque with Dust Jacket (late 1960s)

Equivalent to Bourke Type 8

The dust jackets use the same illustrations that are found on the Idéal picture covers, so instead of showing the DJ to the right, I demonstrate what a "naked" book looks like.

Titles available: Bungalow, Locket, Hollow Oak, Statue?, Heels, Mask, Ringmaster, Window, Dragon, Bagpipes, Steps

Large hardback - 8" H x 5 1/2" W: cream colored cover with small gold stars and green diagonal lines forming diamond pattern; DJ similar to Format H PC below

FORMAT H - Idéal Bibliothèque Picture Cover (1971-1981)

Equivalent to Bourke Type 9

These were large "Deluxe" editions issued contemporaneously with the green-spine picture covers. The Idéal Bibliothèque series contained many stories outside the Alice Roy books

The Idéal books feature many half-page, full page and even double-page color internals, along with black and white halftone drawings throughout the text.

Titles available: Clock, Staircase, Lilac, Ranch, Red Gate?, Diary, Letter, Candles, Larkspur, Locket, Charm, Bridge, Moss Mansion OT, Map, Box, Wall, Bell, Lady, Keys, Ski Jump, Slipper, Witch Tree, Showboat, Pavilion, Moonstone, Mannequin

Large size glossy hardback PC: 8" H x 5 9/16" W; yellow spine with 3 boxes: first is red background with Caroline Quine and title in capitals, second has pictorial symbol of the story; third says Hachette in capitals

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© 1999, 2001 Lea Shangraw Fox
Last updated 20 April 2001

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